Upper-pulling device.



w. c. STEWART. UPPER PULLING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED APR-16.1915.

Patentd Dec. 31,1918.

WILLIAM C. STEWART, 0 SWAMPSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, RY MES E A$SIGNMENTS, To UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSoN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, WILLIAM C. STEWART, a subject of the King of England, residing at Swampscott, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Upper-Pulling Devices, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to devices employed in the manufacture of boots and shoes and particularly to upper pulling devices for drawing a shoe upper over a last before presenting the shoe to a machine for securing the upper to the sole or insole.

Before presenting a shoe to a pulling-over machine, it is frequently found necessary, particularly if the last has a low receding toe and the upper is short or scant, to pull the upper forwardly on the last, both for positioning the upper lengthwise on the last and for obtaining a sufiicient extent of upper material for the grippers-of the machine readily to seize and work over the sole or insole into position to be secured. The ordinary hand lasting pincers are usually employed for this purpose but they are found unsatisfactory chiefly because they tend to chip or otherwise damage the edge of the last when fulcrumed thereon and, on Welt work, they are likely to injure the upstanding rib of the insole.

An object of the present invention is to provide an upper pulling device adapted to reach over the edge of the last to seize the upper, with provision for relative movement of the device and the last in such relation that the upper may bequickly and effectively pulled without injury to either the work or the last. I

With this object in view and in accordance with an important feature of the invention the upper pulling device is provided with last positioning means constructed and arranged to position the lateral surface of the last relatively to the upper pulling jaws and to maintain the last in a definite relation to the upper pulling jaws during the upper pulling operation. In the illustrated embodiment the last positioning means comprises a ast engaging member including a V claw whichis arranged to hook over the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

Application filed April 16, 1915. Serial No. 21,769.

ment thereof and will then be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings 2-- Figure l is a side elevation of an upper pulling device embodying the present invention in position ona shoe;

Fig. 2 is a modification showing an upper pulling device embodying the present inven-' tion adapted for use with a foot treadle.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the last positioning member of the upper pulling device.

The upper pulling device, as shown in Fig. 1, comprises a 'pairof cooperating curved jaws 2 and 3 which are pivoted together at 5 and have rearwardly extending members 6 and 8 which are adapted to be grasped by an operator for opening and closing the aws.

In accordance with this invention, in its illustrated embodiment, a last positioning member 12 is associated with the curved jaws 2 and 3. This member is pivoted at 15 to the end of a post 16 which projects down- Wardly and forwardly fromthe under side of the lower jaw 3 as the device is positioned in Fig. 1. The inner end of the member 12 terminates in an upwardly and forwardly'projecting flange or claw 18 which is curved to adapt it to the longitudinal contour of the toe end ofthe last over which it hooks and is also curved laterally to receive the toe of the last and prevent the last from being displaced laterally when strain is applied to the upper on either side of the median line of the last. In order to prevent the member 12 from breaking down or otherwise damaging the rib 22 of the insole when the member is positioned on a welt insole, the member is provided with a depressed or recessed portion '23 which is 10- Gated-adjacent to the forward end of the member and is of sufiicient width and proper contour to bridge the rib on various sizes and styles of insoles. A sprin 25 mounted on thepivot 15 and having its free ends engaging the member 12 and the post, re-- and the closing of the jaws is effected by a foot treadle 28, the outer end of which is connected through the rod 30 to a rearwardly projecting lug 32 on the jaw 2. A spring 33 having one end secured to a stud 35 on the jaw 2 and its other end attached to a lug 36 onthe bracket maintains the jaw 2 in inoperative position or open with relation to the cooperating jaw 3. The jaw 3 may be adjustably positioned in the bracket by means of the holes 37 and a stud 38 which registers with a hole in the lower end of the member 6 of the jaw. The arm 16 projects from the aw 3, as in Fig. 1, and carries the last positioning member 12.

In the use of theupper pulling device shown in Fig. 1, the workman holds the shoe in one hand, or the shoe may be held on a last spindle, and with the device inhis other hand, the workman reaches as far as is necessary over the toe of the last and seizes the marginal edge of the upper between the jaws and then hooks the claw 18 over the toe of the last, the recessed portion 23 of the member 12 bridging the rib on a welt shoe insole and preventing it from becoming damaged. The shoe and the pincers are then moved relatively to each other about the pivot 15 as a fulcrum, first to pull the upper forwardly on the last, and then to pull it more nearly perpendicularly to the bottom of the last to provide suflicient extent of upper beyond the last bottom for the grippers of the pulling-over machine to seize. The last engaging member 12 insures a firm fulcrum for the pulling jaws in the various angular positions which they assume with relation to the sole in pulling the upper about the toe of the last and initially positions the toe of the last andholds the last with respect to the jaws against displacement during the pulling operation. Moreover, since the toe of the last is held against displacement during the manipulation of the jaws, the upper is pulled f f0rwardly on the last symmetrically without extra effort by the operator. After "therequired tension has been applied to the upper, the operator clamps the tensioned upper to the last with hisforefin'ger and presents the shoe to the pulling over machine;

When the device shown in Fig. 2 is used, 7

the upper is inserted between the jaws and the toe of the last'is located in the member 12 in the same manner as withthe device shown in- Fig. 1. The jaws are then fully efi'ect a pulling of the upper forwardly on the last and the'ndownwardly beyond the last bottom;

In presenting the appended claims I am aware of the prior invention of Eli Brothers covered by application Serial No. 46,662, filed'on August 21, 1915, and it is not my intention to claim herein anything disclosed in said application.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is z- 1. An upper pulling device comprising, in combination, cooperating jaws pivoted together, means for opening and closing said jaws, and means connected to one of said jaws and constructed and arranged to pre sent the toe of the last in a fixed relation to the jaws and to provide a fulcrum relatively to which leverage may be applied for pulling the upper about the last.

2. An upper pulling device comprising, in

combination, cooperating upper and lower jaws pivoted together, means for opening and closing said jaws, and a last positioning member pivotally connected to one of said jaws and adapted to hook over the toe end of the last and move with the last to protect the end of the last from injury by the jaw.

3. An upper pulling device comprising,.in combination, cooperating upper and lower jaws pivoted together, means for opening and closing said jaws,

by one of said jaws, said claw being conand a claw carried v structed and arranged to hook over the toe of the last and hold the last againstedi'splacement during the upper pulling movement.

4:. An upper pulling device comprising, in combination, cooperating upper and lower jaws pivoted together, means for opening and closing the jaws, and a last positioning member pivoted to one of said jaws, said member being constructed and arranged to position initiallythe toe of the last longitudinally and laterally relatively'to said jaws and to restrain lateral movement of the toe of the last during relative manipulation of the last and the jaws to draw the upper over the last. A v

5. An upper pulling device comprising, in combination, cooperating jaws pivoted to gether, means for opening and closing the jaws, and a last positioning member pivotally connected to one of said jaws and adaptof the last.

combination, jaws to seize and pull an up- L 6. An upper pulling device comprising, in

per, means for opening andclosing said jaws, and'last engaging means operatively associated w1th one of said jaws and adapt ed to engage the bottom and side faces of the toe of the last whereby the toe of the last is controlled against displacement relatively to said jaws during stretching of the upper forwardly and downwardly over the toe end of the last.

7. An upper'pulling device comprising, in combination, cooperating upper and lower jaws pivoted together, means for opening and closing said jaws, and a last positioning member pivotally connected to one of said jaws and adapted to hook over the toe end of the last and move with the last to protect the end of the last from injury by the lower jaw when the last and the jaws are moved relatively, said member having an arched portion adapted to bridge the upstanding rib on a welt shoe insole and protect it from injury.

8. An upper pulling device comprising, in combination, cooperating upper and lower jaws pivoted together, means for opening and closing said jaws, a post projecting from the lower jaw, a last positioning member pivoted on said post, said member being constructed and arranged to position the toe of a last relatively to the jaws and to hold the last against lateral displacement, and a spring for maintaining said member normally in operative position.

9. An upper pulling apparatus comprising a base adapted for attachment to a bench and having an upright portion, a stationary jaw carried on the upright, a last positioning member pivotally mounted adjacent to the stationary jaw and constructed and arranged to hold the toe end of a last in a definite relation to the said jaw during relative move ment of the last and the jaw, means to maintain the pivoted member in a normal last receiving position, a jaw pivoted to the upright, means to hold the pivoted jaw normally openwith respect to the stationary jaw, and treadle connections for closing the pivoted jaw to hold the upper While the last is moved about the axis of the pivoted sup port as a fulcrum to pull the upper about the last.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM C. STEWART.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

